


No One Can Hear You Scream

by telperion_15



Category: Primeval
Genre: Alien - movie, Challenge Response, Creature Attack, Gen, Homage, Horror, Ventilation Shafts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-05
Updated: 2012-02-05
Packaged: 2017-10-30 15:56:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/333465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/telperion_15/pseuds/telperion_15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They're not alone...</p>
            </blockquote>





	No One Can Hear You Scream

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for 'Horror Homage' challenge at [The ARC](http://www.primevalarchive.co.uk/)
> 
> Minor spoilers for episode 2.02.

“Bloody air vents.”

The words echoed oddly in the confined space, and Connor almost missed Abby’s response.

“What’s the problem?”

“Well, first the worms, and now this. I don’t like it. I feel trapped.”

“I didn’t know you were claustrophobic.” Abby’s voice sounded like it was undecided between sympathy and amusement, and Connor huffed in annoyance.

“I’m not. I could stay in here all day quite happily if it wasn’t for the fact that we know something is scuttling around in here, waiting to jump out at us.”

“Connor, we don’t even know what we’re looking for yet. You heard the professor – he’s not even convinced it’s anything odd. ‘Probably a rat,’ were his exact words, I believe.”

“But the maintenance guy said tentacles. Tentacles were definitely mentioned. How often have you seen a rat with tentacles?”

“He was probably just jumping at shadows,” said Abby dismissively. “Come on, let’s get a move on. They’ve closed off most of the system, so we only have to check this small section while Cutter and Stephen check the other end. And we’ll get through it much faster if you stop moaning.”

Connor thought about making some kind of retort in response, but then realised that would only confirm Abby’s current opinion of him, so instead he started moving forwards again, trying to find some way to crawl comfortably through the vent without chafing his knees too much.

They reached a junction, and Connor looked left, then right. “Which way now?” he asked.

Abby hurriedly consulted the printout she’d been given. “Well, the left way leads to a dead end round the next corner, so we should go right.”

“But what if something’s hiding down the left passage?” objected Connor.

Abby gave him a withering stare. “Don’t be such a wimp, Connor,” she said. “We would have heard it.”

“Not if it’s asleep. And maybe we’ve woken it up with all our movement.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll go and check, if it’ll make you happy. Wait here.” Abby pushed past him, doing nothing to conceal her annoyed eye-roll, and shuffled off down the left passage.

Connor watched her until she turned the corner, resisting the urge to call, “Be careful!” after her – that would definitely wake anything up, and more importantly, would only earn him another look of contempt.

He decided to sit for a minute or two, to take the weight off his aching knees for a bit while he waited for Abby to come back. But he’d barely started to move when he heard something. A sort of skittering sound, like something crawling fast along the vent.

“Abby?” he whispered. “Is that you?”

The only response was more skittering. It seemed to be coming from behind him, and he looked over his shoulder, back the way they’d come. But the vent was empty, and Connor tried to convince himself he was imagining things. He was just getting jumpy, that was all.

Then he heard it again. Only this time it seemed to be coming from the right hand passage.

_Shit_. There was more than one of…whatever it was.

Connor risked raising his voice. “Abby!”

“Yes, Connor, what is it?” Abby was crawling back towards him, looking annoyed.

“Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“That noise. Like something scuttling.”

“The only thing I heard was you calling out to me like a big scaredy cat. Can we carry on now? There’s nothing down there but a dead end, just like I said.”

Connor smiled sheepishly. “Okay. Sorry. I guess I’m just letting my imagination get the better of me, that’s all.”

But then the skittering started again, and from the expression on Abby’s face Connor knew she could hear it this time. And now it was coming from behind them _and_ to the right. And it was getting closer.

“Crap!” Connor whispered. “What is it?”

“Something with tentacles?” Abby hazarded.

“We need to get out of here!” Connor knew he sounded panicked, but at this point he didn’t particularly care.

“Connor, it’s okay. It’ll be okay. There’s a grill in the vent just round the corner that way.” Abby was pointing down the left passage she’d just checked. “It opens into one of the offices. We can get out there.”

Connor swallowed. “Okay.”

Abby smiled at him reassuringly, although the effect was somewhat marred by the concern flashing in her eyes at the increasingly loud noises. “After you.”

“No, you should go first.”

“Connor, this is no time for misplaced chivalry. I’ve got the dart gun, which’ll be better than nothing if anything catches up to us. You go first.”

“Okay.” Reluctantly but speedily, Connor started crawling down the left passage. His breathing was loud in his ears, almost drowning out the scuttling sounds drawing ever closer. Almost.

He reached the corner and paused for a second, looking further ahead. A brighter patch of light marked the position of the grill, and Connor felt relief sweep over him. “Abby, I can see the grill!”

No answer.

“Abby?”

Connor suddenly realised all the noises had stopped. With a cold kernel of fear congealing in the pit of his stomach, he slowly turned his head and looked over his shoulder.

The vent was empty.

Abby was gone.


End file.
